"The Eyes Of A God" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marco John)

'I want you to understand why I'm doing this," he said. "You do understand, yes?"
'For peace," Cassandra replied. It was what her father wanted to hear. "For the good of Reec."
'And everyone in it, including all your sisters and their children. And even for my own good." Karis squeezed her hand. "This is a great favor, daughter. Perhaps I'm selfish to ask it. So let me give you one last chance to refuse me. If you don't wish to marry this L№rian, say so now, before I make the offer."
Cassandra squirmed. Her father didn't know how she really felt, because she hid it so well. "You would think less of me if I refused now, Father."
'Never. I could never think less of you." He looked deep into "I don't know," Jancis confessed. "That's why I'm worried. Maybe you'll need a real physician. MaybeЧ"
'Jancis, stop," bade Cassandra. She help up one finger, the way she always did when Jancis rambled. "That's enough. You promised to keep quiet about it, and I expect you to do so. NowЕ" She stood up and tucked her long hair behind her ears. "Let's dress me."
Jancis was about to take the garment from the bed when a knock came at the door. Dressed only in her undertunic, Cassandra jumped at the intrusion, wrapping her arms about herself. "Who is it?" she asked.
'Your father, girl. Open up."
As expected, the king had come to fetch her. Cassandra replied, "I'm not dressed yet, Father."
A laugh came from behind the door. "I bathed you myself and know every inch of you. You're going to show modesty now? Fetch a robe and open the door."
Jancis hurried a dressing robe out of the wardrobe and hustled Cassandra into it. As the princess tied the garment's belt around her waist, Jancis opened the door. King Karis stood alone in the threshold. His pepper-black beard was split with a wide grin, and his body was swathed in crimson velvet, kingly attire for the meeting to come. He wore all his rings today, great gem-stones that twinkled in the torchlight, and when he saw his youngest daughter across the room he beamed. Jancis had brushed Cassandra's hair till it shone and had carefully painted her face and nails. Even in her plain dressing robe, Cassandra was beautiful.
'Daughter, you look lovely," said the king. He stepped into the room. Jancis curtsied and kept her eyes averted. Karis hardly noticed her. He was taken by the vision of his daughter, which always filled Cassandra with pride.
'Father?" she asked innocently. "What is it?"
Karis turned to Jancis. "Would you leave us, please? I need to talk with my daughter."
'Talk? But Father, we're dressing."
'Jancis, go," said the king. The handmaiden didn't wait to be asked again. Quickly she left the room and closed the door be her eyes. "The truth, Cassandra. There'll be no going back for you, not once the offer is made. And life in L№ria will be hard for you." "Not so hard, probably."
Karis chuckled. "Ah, you don't know yet, daughter. You think only of being a queen. But we don't know this man, not nearly as well as we should. He may breed you like a bitch, one pup after another. L№rian men can be brutal."
'He is kind," said Cassandra. "You said so yourself. Only a kind man would offer peace, you said."
'True," admitted Karis, reminded of his words. "But it won't be a fairy tale. You know that, don't you?"
'Father, what is this?" Cassandra asked, laughing. "Now you don't want me to marry him?"
Karis' face was firm. "I want you to be sure of your decision, because it is your decision, not mine. I have no greater gift to give this king than you, Cassandra, but you are no slave. Say no to me now, and there will be no harm to it. I'll find another way to seal the peace."
For a moment, Cassandra almost told her father the truth. She almost confessed her great desire to leave her city and country behind, to finally be her own woman and not just one of Karis' daughters. But she didn't tell her father that, because it would have broken his heart.
'You said that Akeela is special," Cassandra reminded him, "and that any woman would be lucky to be his queen. I believe that it is so, Father."
Karis studied her with a grin. "You parse words like a barrister, Cassandra. Don't do this thing just to spare my feelings."
'Father, I am Reecian," said Cassandra. "If Akeela will have me, then I will marry him, because I love you and I love our land."
It wasn't really a lie, and it made her father's face shine. Karis patted his daughter's hand and said, "You're special to me. You always will be. And you will always be my daughter, even when you are a queen." The king rose from the bed, straightening his stunning tunic. "Rest for now. Tonight, when the banquet begins, I will send for you. You will dance for King Akeela, and he will fall in love with you."
Cassandra smiled. Since she had blossomed into womanhood, every man seemed to love her. It gave her power, the taste of which was sweet.
When her father left the chamber, Cassandra rose from the bed and went back to the window. Outside, she could see Akee-la's little army, now just outside the city gates.
he Reecian capital rose in a splendid arc before them. Lukien had never been so close to the city before, and as he rode beside Akeela, nearing the tall iron gates, he marveled at the simple, natural architecture and the grace of his enemies. Hes wasn't like Koth, L№ria's capital. It was smaller and had fewer tall towers, so that light fell easily on its white and brown cement, giving it a shimmering appearance. As the sun dipped down, the city came alive with candles, blinking in the round windows and lending the place an orange sheen. Lukien slowed his column as they neared the city gates. The dentate portals were opened wide in welcome. Beyond them, mounted soldiers sat at attention, their swords sheathed and their shoulders rigid. A procession of Reecian citizens stretched out behind them, disappearing down the avenues and watching the newcomers in silent awe. Lukien heard music, the brassy parade tunes the Reecians favored. An uneasiness grew in his stomach. Despite the obvious welcome Hes was giving Akeela, the Bronze Knight cringed inwardly. In the five years since becoming a full-ranked Royal Charger, he had clashed with these people dozens of times.
'You see?" said Akeela. "They welcome us. As I told you they would."
The king rode a bit faster toward the waiting city. Lukien spurred his horse to keep up.
'Slowly, Akeela," he warned. He brought his chestnut charger to a trot beside his king, steering the beast toward its brother to block its stride. "Let me go first."
Akeela relented, checking his eagerness. He brought his horse to a halt. The winding column behind him stopped. Lukien waved his lieutenants forward, and Trager and Breck trotted out of the mass.
'We'll go first," he told the pair. "The king will follow."
Breck nodded his red head. Trager's face didn't change. The two rode beside each other but behind Lukien, ready to lead their king and his procession into the city. As he turned back toward Hes, Lukien noticed a group of well-dressed nobles at the gate's threshold. Karis' counselors wore red and gold tunics and uneasy smiles on their bearded faces. One of them, taller and more regal than the others, stood a pace ahead of his companions, a black cape around his shoulders and sword at his side. The smile on his face twisted when he noticed Lukien coming toward him, and soon the contagion spread through the others. The soldiers along the avenue cocked their helmeted heads; a murmur rippled through the crowds.
The Bronze Knight had come.
Lukien squared his shoulders. He was Akeela's herald, and that meant he needed to be fearless. His armored horse snorted its disdain, and Lukien rode across the threshold of Hes, into the midst of his enemies. The music grew as the musicians lining the avenues strummed their guitars and blew into their horns, and the red flags of Reec were everywhere, hanging down from apartment windows and held aloft by proud teenagers. Yet to Lukien's surprise the L№rian flag was displayed too, held by a Reecian honor guard resplendent in crimson tunics and white gloves. As Lukien approached the nobles just inside the city, the foursome bowed deeply, putting their hands over their hearts and lowering their eyes to the cobblestones. They did not lift themselves until Lukien's shadow fell upon them.
'I am Lukien of L№ria," he declared. "Herald of King Akeela and Captain of his Royal Chargers."
The four noblemen raised their eyes to Lukien. The tall one's smile was inscrutable.
'Welcome," he said. He spread his arms wide, looking past Lukien to where Akeela waited behind Trager and Breck. "I am Earl Linuk of Glain. On behalf of King Karis and all of Reec, I welcome you."
'Thank you," said Lukien. He remembered the name Linuk, sure that he had faced the Reecian in combat before. As Earl of Glain, Linuk ruled one of Reec's largest territories and was one of Karis' closest advisors. Akeela had expected him at the meeting, but his presence distracted Lukien nonetheless. Hurriedly he spun his horse around to reveal his king. Trager and Breck parted, and Akeela rode forward. Again the four noblemen bowed, honoring the young ruler.
'My lord Akeela," said Linuk. His voice rang with awe. "This is a great honor for us. We welcome you to Hes, and grant you all our city has to offer."
Akeela looked regal atop his horse, and his expression warmed with good humor. "Earl Linuk, the honor is mine. Rise, please."
The earl did as Akeela commanded, and Akeela surveyed the soldiers and citizenry that had gathered to meet him. Except for the music the huge crowd was remarkably quiet. Even the children hanging out of the nearby windows were silent. Akeela cleared his throat, then raised a hand to them all, just as he had practiced. He declared, "Thank you all for this warm welcome. I am truly glad to be here, and to be honored by you. This will be a great day, a great moment in history for both our nations."
And with that, the crowd erupted. The people clapped and the children shouted, and the musicians played louder to compete with the clamor. Earl Linuk and his fellow nobles beamed at Akeela, looking relieved. Lukien felt a sudden calm. If this was a trap, it was ridiculously elaborate. He glanced back at his friend Breck, who gave him a wink, then at Trager, who simply looked disbelieving. The second-in-command of the Royal Chargers spun around toward his men, signaling them to enter the city, and slowly the column of horses came forward, led by a wooden wagon covered with a white tarpaulin and flanked by four armored chargers. As the wagon rolled forward, Akeela pointed at it.
'We bring gifts for your king, Earl Linuk," he said. "May we present ourselves to him?"
The earl nodded. "King Karis awaits you at his castle, my lord," he said, then gestured toward the center of the city. There, ░n a hill of green lawns and fruit trees, stood Castle Hes, a twin-towered citadel of gray stone slicing across the sky. The castle dominated the capital, throwing its two shadows down upon the baroque city. The main road from the gate seemed to lead directly to the castle, and the entire way was lined with onlookers and more of the ubiquitous musicians.
'It's been a long ride," said Akeela, "and I would like to meet your king as soon as possible. I think our gifts will please him, as will our news."
'The king wants nothing more than to speak with you, my lord, I assure you," said Linuk. "If you'll follow us, you will see him presently."
'Then lead on, Earl," chirped Akeela.